 tired of the everyday routine ever dream of a life of romantic adventure want to get away from it all we offer you escape escape designed to free you from the four walls of today for a half hour of high adventure tonight we escape to an early California gold camp and an exciting tale of frontier revenge as less crutchfield tells it in his colorful story the pistol San Francisco Bay was a graveyard that summer with over 300 deserted wind jammers lying at anchor and the city itself the next step to a ghost town every man who could walk run or staggered headed inland to look for gold and the women had followed mostly they traveled up the river as far as Sacramento and fanned out into the hills that was the jump and off place Sacramento boys move up close everybody sees and everybody gets a chance any time old honest Faraday runs an auction you know it's on the level all right now friends the pistol I'm holding in my hand here is the first one of its kind ever seen waste of the Rockies the face model of Dr. Samuel Coates new 44 caliber six shooter the gun that fires six times without reloading now who'll open her up with a bit of $250 did you hear me $250 come on boys there's plenty of gold on the Sacramento River but only one cold six you now did I hear a bit of safe thank you sir the man says 250 all right here I stood there in the hot sun on the Sacramento waterfront and watch the crowd bidden for the pistol roustabouts gamblers voceros gold miners men from everywhere and from nowhere and a few women I wanted that gun myself I wanted it bad I was taking a stagecoach to raw hide flats in the morning where my brother Dave and his partner had located a rich claim and I didn't plan to load myself down with an outfit but a gun was different I was packing $1,000 in gold Eagles and I was ready to lay out a good part of it to get that six shooter the bidden reached five hundred dollars five and a quarter five and a quarter of anybody else all right going once going twice six hundred dollars in the new bidder I have six hundred dollars just from here bitch six hundred will anybody make it six and a quarter six and a quarter only six seven hundred dollars and another new bidder and the little lady knows the bargain when she sees what all right I'm bitch seven hundred seven seven seven will anybody make an eight how about you mr. father the bid six would you want to raise it against sorry mr. six was my limit let I have it all right anybody else going once going twice so lady you bought yourself a gun how friends of you step right over here I'm gonna do pardon me please congratulations oh you should have kept on bidding why you'd have gone to a thousand dollars if you had to yes I suppose I would I guess it just isn't your lucky day oh I don't know haven't I just met the prettiest girl in California have you haven't I maybe that's not as lucky as you think when I climbed on board the stagecoach to raw hard flights the next morning I found seven trunks had already been loaded five tied on the back and top and two inside and a few minutes later their owner showed up oh it was the red-headed gal who bought the gun the afternoon before it took five miles out of Sacramento to break the ice after that well I learned her name was Teresa Blake she'd been down to San Francisco to buy some new clothes and she was on her way back to raw hide flats no no I don't live with my folks I don't have any folks I work oh doing what I'm a singer the brass nugget saloon I see I wonder you wanted a gun so bad no I never have any trouble there I got the pistol as a present for my boss mr. Mallory $700 makes a pretty expensive present Miss Blake he's been good to me awfully good I see well anyway it's a great gun in 15 years every man west of St. Louis will be packing one I was gonna give you something I almost forgot I saw a consolation prize for losing out on the gun oh here it is it looks like a little gold nugget brass not gold so hang on a watch chain souvenir of the brass nugget saloon of course you can pretend it's real gold if you like alright I will then I hope that's not what my young brother's doing on the Boston pocket claimer is I mean pretending it's real Boston pocket claim you said your name was storm that's right Jonathan storm I didn't even recognize it and then your Dave Storms brother yeah you know him yes yes I mr. Storm I wonder if you'd mind if I tried to get some sleep now I'm I'm really awfully tired around the middle of the afternoon our stagecoach dropped out of the rough hills we've been traveling through ran down into a comparatively level gulfs splashed across the Ford in the Crick below town and swung into the wagon-rutted main street of raw hide flats it was like every other boom town I'd seen a mixture of mud shacks bored front at stores bars Roman houses stables horses boroughs and men men everywhere millen and shoving along the plank walks and out into the street noisy brawlin bearded and tough raw hide flats half hour later I rented a horse and rode up through the canyon north of town both banks of the Crick were lined with miners busy with picks and shovels pans and rockers all of them breaking their backs sweating out their hearts for the same reason gold about three miles up I turn into the side canyon the man at the livery stable had told me about and a few yards in I found it blocked off by a six-foot rail fence right I might jump that fence don't get smart just turn that horse around and head out the same way you came in why I just got here is this the Boston pocket claim that's right you're as close to it right now as you're gonna be go on get now look suppose you put that rifle away before it goes off and hurt somebody huh and go tell Leona his brothers here but Mallory's got no brother now get out Mallory way I heard it Dave Storm is the owner of this claim storm are you storms brother that's right is he around here get out of here storm put that horse and ride you hear me is the last one are you're gonna get so start riding all right mister I never argue with anybody who's packing a rifle unless I've got one too and maybe the next time I will have come on boy get up Mr. Storm what are you doing here how did you find my room I asked one of the bartenders over at the brass nugget mind if I come in miss Blake of course I mind wife but if mr. Mallory found you here he'd he'd what you only work for me doesn't own you does he that's no concern of yours you're presuming a good deal simply because we rode in the same stagecoach I get out of miss Blake I didn't come here with any presumption in mind all I'm after some information about my brother Dave where is he I don't know anything about him you brought his name up yourself during the trip this morning I have nothing to say will you please leave what's this about Bart Mallory owning Dave's Boston pocket claim I know nothing about it Dave's partners called Dan Rivers do you know him get out all right miss Blake I'll find them and it's nice to have seen you again look if you want some good advice leave town right now and don't ask any more questions why not never mind why not mr. Storm just get out of town fast thanks for the advice miss Blake I'll decide whether it's good or not after I talk to my brother and his partner now look Dan your Dave's partner so let's have it straight why does everybody shut up like a clam when I mention his name what's this all about where's Dave anyway Jonathan I wish somebody else had told you told me what David is dead dead that's right Jonathan he was he was go on 10 what happened he was shot in the back we found him lying the street in the north edge of town one more in a couple weeks ago I see who did it you want the official store yeah first they say Dave dropped into the brass nuggets a loon late that night and sold the Boston pocket claim to Bart Mallory took $12,000 in gold certificates for it they say that's how come he was murdered and robbed after he left the nugget his Mallory got a deed a bill of sale he's got one all right with Dave's name on it how come Dave could sell the claim out for Monday you even wanted to I thought the two of you were partners we were but we recorded the whole claim and Dave's name and that way only one of us had to make the trip to Sacramento all right all right that's the official story let's have the other one Dave wouldn't have sold out the Mallory for any amount of money Mallory had been after him for weeks but Dave and we both knew we had the best claim and raw hide flat so some of his gunslingers bushwhack Dave Mallory turned up with his phony deeds the next day and everybody in town knows it but nobody dares to say so I suppose it's like every other boom camp no law here yet huh only what law a man can make for himself in that case I guess I better make a little to fit this Bart Mallory maybe you don't know exactly what you're tying into son why he's got half a dozen or more the toughest boys in California on his payroll we'll find out how tough they are don't count much on me I'm an old man all right Dan so they're not the best odds in the world can't be helped you play with a card you got Dave used to tell me you were the coldest man he ever seen when it come to trouble I think maybe he was right well first thing I need a gun with odds the way they are I guess I better have a six shooter we've got a lot Jonathan I've heard of him but you won't find one year in raw hide oh there's one here all right fella got it just today fella named Mallory Mallory now we don't know look Dan I taught a lot of my brother and I don't like the way he was killed I need that gun of Mallory's I'm gonna get it then I'm gonna use it to get Mallory that's the way it's gonna be Dan you can count on it in just a moment we will return you to the second act of escape but first another Wednesday night star night coming up on CBS again tomorrow the young fella who made good on the Bing Crosby show last week will be back again for more songs and fun making the young fella named Al Jolson who Bing thinks is quite promising Burns and Allen will be around again with more of their madcap humor and Groucho Marx will be throwing the ad libs fast and furiously on you bet your life and Dr. Christian the only show and radio where the audience writes the scripts will be announcing a great new prize contest they're all heard on most of these same CBS stations so tune in tomorrow night for Dr. Christian Groucho Marx Bing Crosby and Burns and Allen and now we return you to escape I stepped inside the swinging doors the brass nugget saloon and look things over finally I had the bartender point out Mallory he was sitting at a table in the back near the offices playing poker with three other men the two boys lounging against the wall behind him were obviously his bodyguards I pushed my head back on my head and walked all the table they are boys 410s I guess that ought to do it sorry to put in but your name Barton Mallory that's right something I can do for you my name is Tom Jonathan star this is the one I told you about boss you probably knew my brother oh yes David Storm sure he used to come in here so I heard you got anything special in your mind yeah I need a gun I understand you got a new six shooter sorry it's not for sale I didn't say anything about buying it I'll bet a thousand dollars against that gun on a cut for high card what do you say sorry storm the guns out of it name something else no I want the gun what's the matter Mallory the boys told me you'd bet on anything in the house of the odds were right now that's right I will but the guns a gift from a friend maybe you're thinking your luck's about to run out would that be it all right I'll take the bet Benny break out a new deck yeah well there's the gun let's see a thousand sure 95 shuffle no I'll go ahead maybe I should have warned you Mallory I got a feeling this is my lucky night I'll take a chance it isn't by the way you wouldn't happen to have any idea who shot my brother in the back would you Mallory I'm afraid not the killer hasn't been identified yet it's too bad maybe I'll have to identify myself your cut Mallory all right ten of clubs go ahead storm jack of diamonds thanks for the gun it's already loaded to well I think I'll be good evening miss Blake how do you do mr. storm sorry if I'm in a row no no no I'm glad you came gives me an idea Mallory how'd you like another chance at my thousand dollars what's a bet I cut again thousand dollars against a kiss from miss Blake what course maybe you don't have any say over the bets on you want to shuffle no no no go ahead cut Queen of Spades you'll find that pretty hard to beat yeah I guess you're right ace of hearts does it though my lucky night Mallory I miss Blake I guess you don't you dare I'm afraid you don't have much choice about it honey I won this from your boss it's too bad storm looks as if the lady doesn't like your brand now I guess none I didn't expect her to be the one to have to tell me though Mallory I kind of thought that you might resent that might want to do something about it why that's what she's here for it's a job she gets paid to take care of the customers I should I worry about a cheap little talk hold it boys you're covered all right Mallory you better get up off the floor and call off those dogs he owes either one moves I'll kill him all right all right boys you can drop it storm there's a pretty bad mistake you just made I don't forget things I think maybe this was your last lucky night I'll make that a bet if you want alright boys come on let's go Mallory and his gunman went into the office and didn't come back finally after about an hour I walked out of the brass nugget and bumped square into a middle-aged woman who'd been waiting for me just outside she said Teresa wanted to see me right away in her room put that gun away mr. storm I'm here alone this isn't a trap and what is it I want to know why you made that bet I mean about kissing me suppose we just say I wanted to let it go at that you're afraid aren't you you're afraid not to be tough is that why you asked me to come here to tell me then why don't you suppose a girl can have feeling left but you can be sorry for thing meet somebody maybe go ahead honey you're doing fine what do you mean I mean I'm halfway ready to believe that a little more of it and I would believe it and if I had any sense I'd know better I see and that's the way you feel about it it's a start isn't it this is the first time I oh it's a use try and find out get out you don't understand anything go on get out get out I'm telling your son it's a worst mistake you could have made knocking him down like you did last night where he won't think of nothing else nothing to these kids people have tried that before Dan I'm still here but you haven't got a chance his gun will be watching like hawks for the first second you're not covered a whole town is not Mallory's payroll I've got an idea a lot of people around here might like to see him shown up provided somebody else called the play maybe so but still he's half a dozen of his gunslingers to deal with I don't think so Dan if their boss is knocked over they'll drift I've seen hired guns before I'd against you son well I feel lucky it's worth a chance to get Mallory not only for killing Dave because of what he's doing at the race of Blake race of Blake I kind of think she'd be a pretty decent kid it weren't for him yes Jonathan that's what your brother Dave thought what he was crazy about her to hung around the brass nugget every night she kept leading him on I guess that bit it in with Mallory's plans I guess it did I guess it still does what you mean son nothing Dan when you come right down to it I guess when I when a man turns soft it always starts with his head I'm sorry Jonathan I I didn't know you felt that way about it oh it's all right I'm glad you told me but I found out in time and now that I have I think I can use Miss Blake why did you come here what do you want a short talk honey I don't want Mallory to see us you've got to leave town leave now and don't come back please how much do you get for this honey I mean talking me into leaving town and getting me out of Mallory's way oh you fool he doesn't mean a thing to me it's you don't you know that I'll go with you if you'll only leave tonight I'll go with you right now please no I've gone too far now to turn back I've got to finish it up it's not too far yet but it will be maybe you'll want to turn back then only it'll be too late few hours from now it'll all be done and then maybe we can think about some other things you just don't want to want to of course I want to Johnny Johnny nobody's called me that for a long time Terry I want you to do something for me anything Johnny anything do you think you can get that deed to my brother's claim from Mallory's strongbox and give it to me I think so yes of course I can't he trusts me enough yeah how bad he does how long would it take give me an hour all right Johnny would what would you kiss me first sure Terry it was better than the one I I risked $1,000 for nobody could buy that for $1,000 nobody ever has come back into my room in an hour Johnny I'll have to do I followed her into town staying behind her in the darkness and from the opposite side of the street I watched her walk into the swinging doors of the brass nugget then I slipped into the shadows between two top paper shacks and waited it was a half hour before they came out of the saloon and headed down the street toward Teresa Blake's Roman house all six of Mallory's guns slingers he wasn't taking any chances Terry had double crossed me after all just the same as she double crossed my brother and that was fine with me because I was ready for it I walked into the brass nugget and down the hallway at the far end of the bar I ease the six shooter into my hand and stopped in front of the door to Mallory's office evening Mallory I thought that was quite a surprise yeah I imagine keep your hands on the desk sure sure story Mike I don't have a gun anyway watch him Johnny he's lying he carries one in his sleeve you dirty little rat well I didn't see you there in the corner Miss Blake thought you might be down the street waiting to watch the fireworks they made me tell Johnny one of the boys followed me and saw us together when I came back here they made me tell they hit me look that must be real painful almost as bad as being shot in the back like Dave was I didn't know what they were planning I didn't know Bob was going to kill him Johnny I swear I drop it Mallory you got a forge bill of sale there in your strong box I want it sorry storm you're out of luck I won't open the box and you can't what makes you figure you in a position to argue about it why not because you've got a gun on me you wouldn't shoot an unarmed man storm what about that gun in your sleeve I'm not drawing I see all right Miss Blake get out of here I said get out don't bother going after the boys they won't be time get out so you won't draw Mallory huh you're gonna play it safe crazy to do anything else maybe only way out of this room is through the door behind me I noticed that kerosene lamp has a glass bowl on it ought to start a nice fire if I picked it up and smashed it against the wall storm storm your fool what about it Mallory my guns in the holster want to stay there and burn or draw and try to get out place I'll go up like a tinder box take your choice Mallory draw a burn that's for Dave and that's for me all right hold it a second hold it you better clear out of here fast the place is on fire and anybody that works for Bart Mallory is out of a job he's dead all right you're not hurt now I'm all right Dan come on let's get out of here Mallory's dead I guess that takes care of it then Jonathan you're the luckiest man alive sure somebody might go down ejections roaming house hello bushwhackers and Mallory's I can hit the trail north the boss is dead this ought to be far enough Dan look look the fire is breaking through to the roof won't be long now Johnny Johnny Johnny are you all right sure I'm all right what of it Miss Blake I Johnny if anything had happened to you I couldn't have gone on Miss Blake I have got something for you it's a nugget some people might figure it's real gold but actually it's only brass they are pick it up and then get going what what do you mean Johnny I mean you better catch up with the boys they'll be heading north but you said that we drop it oh yes here's something else you can have to your six no no no it's yours you bought and paid for it it's got one shot left use it any way you want to only get out beat it Johnny you're wrong you know you're wrong about a lot of things but what's the use that's right what's the use bye John son he had not given that pistol that was your luck you might call it I think my luck's all run out then claim is all yours I'm leaving in the morning heading south why son there's nothing south of here yeah but it's the surest way I know to keep myself from head north escape is produced and directed by William N. Robeson tonight we have presented the pistol by Les Crutchfield featured in the cast were Gerald Moore as Jonathan Storm Betty Lou Gerson as Terry Blake Charlie McGraw as Bart Mallory and will gear is Dan Rivers also heard was Eddie Maher special music was arranged and conducted by Del Castillo next week you are in command of an English destroyer sailing to join the North Sea patrol in October 1914 it is midnight and from the enemy coast comes a desperate signal for help which you would like to ignore but from which there is no escape next week we escape with Robert Buckner's exciting and unforgettable tale the man who won the war goodbye then until this same time next week when once again we offer you escape this is CBS the Columbia broadcasting system